Naipes Inca for Hoechst Karidium

Naipes INCA by C. Della Penna S.A.C.I. for Hoechst pharmaceuticals, Buenos Aires, c.1973

This is a special pack of Naipes Inca made for Hoechst Karidium tranquilisers in c.1973. The jokers, backs and the box have been customised specially for Hoechst. The motif on the Ace of spades is the same as in Naipes Guarany. The court cards are based on the designs of Piatnik, after Goodall. The company name is given as C. Della Penna S.A.C.I. and there is no tax stamp on the Ace of hearts.

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Above: cards from Naipes Inca deck with advertising for Hoechst Karidium tranquiliser. The company name of C. Della Penna S.A.C.I and absence of any tax stamp on the ace of hearts implies a date after 1968, but the ace of spades has the serial number 4673 which suggests a code for 1973. The court cards are based on the designs of Piatnik, after Goodall, and the Jokers and back design are special designs for Karidium. It is not clear why an image of what looks like the planet Mars has been chosen for this; perhaps because it suggests scientific progress and the possibility of life in outer space… "spaced out".